Man, 60, charged with shooting man to death in Robbins

A 60-year-old man was charged with fatally shooting another man Thursday night in south suburban Robbins.

Rodney Knockum, of Blue Island, was charged with first-degree murder, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.

About 9:15 p.m., Knockum shot 42-year-old Eddie Appleton multiple times in the 13400 block of Ridgeway Avenue, according to the Cook County sheriff’s and medical examiner’s offices. Appleton was found unresponsive and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead within the hour. He lived in Robbins.

Rodney Knockum | Cook County sheriff’s office

Investigators with the sheriff’s department responded to the scene and took over the homicide investigation at the request of Robbins police. During their investigation, detectives learned that Knockum was armed with a handgun when he came looking for Appleton and claimed he had burglarized his truck, the sheriff’s office said.

Appleton was shot to death a short time later, the sheriff’s office said.

Knockum was ordered held without bail and his next court date was scheduled for Tuesday., according to sheriff’s office records.